Addressing SRAM verification challenges

SureCore Limited is an SRAM IP company based in Sheffield, the United Kingdom, that develops low power memories for current and next generation silicon process technologies. Its award-winning, world-leading, low power SRAM designs are process independent and variability tolerant, making them suitable for a wide range of technology nodes. Two major product families have been announced: PowerMiser™ and EverOn™. PowerMiser is a general purpose SRAM capable of delivering in excess of 50 percent dynamic and 20 percent static power savings compared to industry standard offerings. EverOn is a memory developed specifically for the IoT and wearable markets. It delivers near threshold operating voltages facilitating extremely low power operation. Both product families are based on standard foundry bit cells and no process modifications are needed to deliver these capabilities. Key to achieving market leading low power performance is a comprehensive verification strategy. In this paper, co-written with our partners at Siemens EDA, the key elements of this strategy will be explored, including focused parametric tests run with Monte Carlo (MC) analysis across the PVT range and high sigma analysis, using Solido™ Variation Designer.